Will she stay????

[Zizix123]

Ok so the rookies back with more questions lol. I have a hen currently in one of our coops and I locked her in yesterday when she was sitting on eggs now I put one of our live cameras in there to watch her. She is not broody but I figured I would give it a try. I figured I'd leave her in there for 3 or 4 days she's sitting on them but will this make her go broody or if I open the door I figured leave her in there for 3 or 4 days will she abandon them. Yes I tried fake eggs for 3 weeks now and none of my hens are brooding and yes she has food and water. Has anyone tried this? Thank you in advance for any responses.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

She is not broody but I figured I would give it a try. I figured I'd leave her in there for 3 or 4 days she's sitting on them but will this make her go broody or if I open the door I figured leave her in there for 3 or 4 days will she abandon them. Yes I tried fake eggs for 3 weeks now and none of my hens are brooding and yes she has food and water. Has anyone tried this?

Your wasting your time... all she is.. is locked in... Keeping a hen against her will won't encourage broodiness... It's hormonal and hereditary.. some ladies don't have a broody hen in their body. While other will brood their lives away back to back to back even when allowed to sit, hatch, and raise a clutch.

Best way to encourage broodiness is plenty of space to range, plenty of resources to reduce flock antics, and little stress from predator load.

Too me, locking in a hen that isn't used to it.. it just making her annoyed not broody...

From someone who thought they would never get a broody to you as a self described rookie... let her out and be patient. If none of your birds go broody... it's simple they AREN'T broody hens... Even though I NEVER lock a bird in AND collect eggs EVERY day.. I've had enough broody antics... to understand that you ultimately have little to no impact.

Therefore if you want to set eggs under a hen... it's best to collect them at room temp, rotating out older ones like every 7 days.. send them for eating.. then when a hen does go broody... you will have eggs ready to set under her... meanwhile not wasting ones.. getting some development only to watch them be abandoned by a non sitting hen and die.

Of course she will leave when the door get's opened... everybody wants fresh air and sunlight. If she IS broody she will return in under a half hour. If she isn't broody.. let her be.

Some breeds are broodier than others but there are no guarantees. The broodiest of breeds I had were Silkies and Marans. My best broody was hatchery barred Rock. Buff Orpington are also known to be a broodier breed... I do see folks trying to sell broody hens all the time on Craigslist farm and garden section. I've also had broody Ameraucana and Wyandottes.. So just hang in there... but don;t waste time or effort trying to MAKE a hen have hormones that she doesn't. Hope this helps some!

 

[Zizix123]

Didn't mean to offend anyone i have actually had broody hens every year for the past 3 years different ones of course except now so thought I might give it a try since the fake ones were not working and I only kept 3 real eggs and 4 fake again thought it may be worth a shot. I have 15 hens so we get a lot of eggs and we want to get flock growing as they are for dual purposes.

 

[Zizix123]

They also have tons of space about an acre as well as letting them go out and graze in other areas and 8 nesting boxes a huge coop.